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Game Preview and Key Factors: Maine Red Claws @ Canton Charge

BySimon Hannig|
Oct 1, 2016; Bossier City, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Buddy Hield (left) and guard Quinn Cook (right) sit on the bench during warm-ups prior to a game against the Dallas Mavericks at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2016; Bossier City, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Buddy Hield (left) and guard Quinn Cook (right) sit on the bench during warm-ups prior to a game against the Dallas Mavericks at CenturyLink Center. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

The Canton Charge are finally home for a four game home stand after going 6-3 on a nine game, three-week road trip.

The Charge will take on the Maine Red Claws (18-9) who sit atop of the Eastern Conference. The Red Claws are the Boston Celtics NBA D-League affiliate. Maine and Canton will play this morning at 11 a.m. on Facebook Live.

The last time these two teams faced each other was on January 19 at Maine. The Charge had leads in the first three-quarters, until around the 8:33 mark in the third quarter. The Charge let an eight point lead early in the third quarter slip away. During the third quarter, Maine had a lead at ten, and they led by ten after three.

Maine didn’t look back after that. However, the Charge did tie the game at 115 a piece with 46.9 seconds remaining in the game, but the Red Claws hit a three with 22.2 to put them over the top. The Red Claws did win the game 122-117.

The starters for both the Canton Charge and Maine Red Claws are to be determined.

Key Factors

1.) Limit Turnovers —- The Charge last time these two teams faced each other committed 15 turnovers, which accounted for 20 points for Maine. During the second half the game, the Charge committed six turnovers. Which doesn’t seem a lot, but Maine scored 20 points off of the 15 turnovers.

2.) Limiting a Big Third Quarter —- The Maine Red Claws scored 38 points right out of the gate in the third quarter. The Charge need to limit any explosive quarters from this team. Maine also scored 30 points in the fourth quarter, so Maine had a combined 68 points in the second half alone. Maine also had 30 points in the second quarter as well. So for the last three-quarters of the game, Maine scored 98 points.

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3.) Limit Big Individual Scoring —- Abdel Nadar and Demetrius Jackson each had 18 points in the second half the first time these two teams faced each other. Jalen Jones also had 11 points in the second half. The Charge need to step up their defensive effort on these players in the second half so this doesn’t happen again.